I love to play Scrabble. Growing up on a farm in Nebraska, our winter days were long and weekends even longer. (Imagine your cable was out and you only had two VHS tapes* to watch: “Quilting with Grandma” or “Weeding for Beginners,” then double the boring factor.) A typical Saturday for me entailed feeding chickens […]
Business
Pest Management Professional magazine offers business advice to industry professionals who run their own businesses. Read advice from industry experts.
Have a Booth at a Trade Show? Follow 4 Steps for Success
This is the time of year when we set up at trade shows. Your company may participate in these super-networking...
Social Success: LinkedIn Dos and Don’ts
Ready to make the most of your LinkedIn account? Here’s how you can achieve a lasting first impression. Every day,...
Mobile PMP: How to Mobilize Your Team
Let’s take a break from technology this month and turn back the clock to a time when the word “mobile”...
Marketing Matters: Direct Mail, Marketing Plans and Vertical Marketing
Q. I’m considering a direct-mail campaign this spring to attract new customers. What do you think? A. I wouldn’t recommend it for...
Is your Company’s Website Passing Google’s ‘Mobile-Friendly’ Test?
Google’s changing the way people find businesses – what does that mean for you? Customers find businesses online in a...
Mobile PMP: Why You Need a Mobile-Enabled Web Presence
It didn’t take long, but according to data from multiple sources, consumers are accessing the Internet by mobile device more...
Let Your Peers Help You Boost Your Business
What a terrific time we had last month in sunny Florida — several pest management professionals (PMPs) gathered for a...
Start-Up Diaries: Things I’d Tell My 18-Year-Old Self
My brother Drake, owner of Mid Central Pest Control in East Dundee, Ill., recently asked me to help train our...
Added Value: 4 Ways Referrals Build Business
We know getting referrals is an important step toward growing a business, but have you thought about why it’s the...
Start-Up Diaries: Use Technology to Keep in Touch
I was reading an interesting interview in Sports Illustrated (my second-favorite magazine) a few months ago with the much-maligned commissioner of...
Transition Strategies: Customer Lists and Non-Compete Clauses
Ask any buyer of a pest management company which asset garners the most value yielding the highest price, and the...
Marketing Matters: Selling Value, Growing a Business and Search Engines
Q. I own a small pest control company in a highly competitive market. I continually lose potential customers to low-ballers. Any...
Added Value: Help Customers Visualize Buying Your Product or Service
A pest management professional’s (PMP’s) role during a sale is to help customers visualize buying a product or service. By...
How Fleet Management Software Streamlines Business Processes and Lowers Costs
Fleet management technology uses smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops to provide vehicle-related data and allows owners to analyze the information...
Added Value: The art of asking successful questions
What questions do you include during your sales appointments? The key to effective questions is to have the right set...